Tips for Staying Afloat in a Grim Job Market

Feb. 4, 2009— -- If you walked around midtown Manhattan during the summer, you might have seen the financial executive, in his late 40s, who paraded around in a sandwich board declaring "Experienced MIT Grad for Hire" and handing out copies of his resume.

A few months later, you might have come across a group of job-hunting, 20-something recent graduates promoting their skills though sidebar advertisements on Facebook and links to their online resumes.

What intrigues me about these methods is not just the guts these job seekers displayed. It's the different generational approaches to self-promotion. The baby boomer gravitated to in-person, face-to-face networking; the Millennial went right to the Web.

If you are looking for a job in the current recession, my best advice is to borrow from the playbook of both of these self-promoters: combine "old-fashioned" methods with new technologies.

Diane K. Danielson, my colleague and co-author on the book "The Savvy Gal's Guide to Online Networking," calls this a "clicks and mix" strategy, and it's an important marketing strategy if you're looking for a new position.

Here's why: Young adults are competing in the job market with much more qualified people who have been laid off and need to find any job they can. At the same time, older professionals are competing with younger workers who are willing to be hired for less money and security. And, in this economy, every job seeker has to try every job-hunting method available.

Here are some self-marketing tips for job seekers of all generations:

Make sure your technical and communication skills are as strong as possible. If necessary, take a class or get some coaching in any area for which you're not 100 percent comfortable. For an older professional, this may mean familiarizing yourself with social networking tools. For a younger professional, this may mean joining a Toastmasters club to work on your public speaking or conversational skills.

Engage a "kind critic" to honestly assess your image as a job candidate. Find a professional you trust -- a friend, former colleague, family member, etc. -- who will be really honest with you. Ask this person to tell you if there is anything you need to know: Do you say "like" or "you know" too much when you talk? Should you dress less "frumpy"? Do you come across as bitter or entitled? It's important to know how others perceive you so you can address any areas where you're getting in your own way.